Climbing Down The 7 Mountains of Influence

Extremely important moments in the life of Jesus happened on high places. The second temptation. Quality time with his disciples. Teaching to big crowds.

Transfiguration. Prayer. Crucifixion.

And in 1975, two great Christian leaders developed a world-changing action plan. Their mandate: Bring Godly change to a nation by reaching its seven spheres, or mountains, of societal influence. A.K.A. Going up to all the high places.

They concluded that in order to truly remodel any nation with the Good News, these seven facets of society must be reached: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment and Business.

The mandate was good.

Still is!

And many other speakers and pastors have expanded on its message and invitation.

I love it in theory. But unfortunately, I have learned to dislike it in practice.

The main points of the message have become an excuse to desire domination, control, power, rule. It is now more about climbing the mountain than about serving those already on it.

It sells like a strategy for transformation but it attracts Christians who want the top more than those who want change.

And I myself at fault.

#LordHaveMercy

Read More On My Ambition-Hunger.

I wanted a place of influence because I assumed to be superior. Like somehow “Christ in me” signifies, “I’m better than them.” And over and over again, I caught myselfmaking sure I got a selfie with anyone who seemed important while ignoring the people who Jesus called me to love.

I know for a fact that those who teach about the 7 mountains of influence have a legitimate desire to reach the world with the love of God. The problem is people like me… people who need to be reminded over and over again that our faith is about humility not power, love not rightness, service not law.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

This quote is from Philippians two. And the example of Jesus in the text is quite literally backwards. According to Paul, Jesus left the highest place in order to be among the lowest people. He undressed himself of privilege and took on the form of humility. His garment was the flesh of humanity and his name tag read, servant.

Ultimately, it was the Father who exalted the name of Jesus.

And if we humble ourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, He will lift us up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Now, let me give you another verse to support the outrageous claim that Jesus wants us climbing down the seven mountains.

This one is in Matthew 23:8-12.

And this is Jesus Christ talking; King of Kings and Lord of Lords: But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father–the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

So what are we doing?

And this is an honest (loaded) question.

Why are we teaching people so much about dominion and leadership and influence? How come we spend so much money on books and seminars and conference to be better at it?

Obviously, having influence is important. Being a good leader matters incredibly. It is a New Testament concept with godly examples like Peter, James and Mary and Paul.

But the Word of God in the flesh never asked us to rise above. His invitation was not to rule over mountains but to master feet-washing.

The Christ (who is the head of the Christian Church) is still asking us to recognize that the way up…

…

is down.

That the way forward, is back. And that the Kingdom of God is found while we are not building our own.

Every time his own disciples talked about thrones and position, Jesus re-directed those desires towards feet, dirt, brokenness and sacrificial love.

Yes, this is the formula of success in Heaven and it’s the opposite of the formula for success on earth. Of course, I believe that we need Jesus-followers in every corner of society. Every mountain of influence demands those who humbly re-present Christ to the world. The problem is not the teaching… it’s what we do with it.

If we’re going to go up any mountain… let it be to sit at the feet of Jesus and re-discover the Sermon on the Mount.

I’ve noticed that the truly great men and women of this world are the ones that move from the burden of, “this is good for me” to the pleasure of, “this will be good for them.” Because serving those who should-be-serving-you is quite possibly the most authentic pronouncement of Christianity there is. It puts flesh to the Christ who came down from His throne to be a servant of all. And this Christ is still saying,

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.

Carlos is a pastor, communicator, provocative preacher and the author of Simply Sonship and Drop The Stones. Together with his wife Catherine, they have two gorgeous boys and are awaiting a baby girl through adoption. Oh yeah, he’s also Puerto Rican and can’t wait to tell you all about it.

This one really sang to my heart…”Every time his own disciples talked about thrones and position, Jesus re-directed those desires towards feet, dirt, brokenness and sacrificial love.”

I know on my own Christian journey, especially when it began, I was so interested in platforms and speaking and making my mark and “expanding my tent-pegs.”

It took going to the darkest places of India to wash the feet of those who suffer for the Lord, or to dark brujo temples in Cuba to pray over and bless the families of witch-doctors and sorcerers, where I saw just how much love and serving (everyone…not just who we identify with) destroys the chains that bind.

Then I realized its not about my dominion…its about His. My dreams of making my mark fell by the wayside and it became about His mark instead…what is He doing, where is He going, how is He going, what is He doing in the lives of others? It became about washing feet and identity, and of pouring identity into others . Its not about outside in…its about inside out.

In America we think so big, so grand, so huge, so dominant. Its the default setting for our culture-influenced brains. But its amazing how often Jesus used reverse imagery to discuss the Kingdom and ministry – seeds, children, serving/washing, praying for the weakest and the rejected- the folks that society cast aside and religion dictated were less than. There is a lesson in there somewhere that we’ve missed. So often we become more focused on the building of the empire, we forget we aren’t supposed to build an empire…we are to live a Kingdom.

Ask me about the New Apostolic Reformation: It’s really simple: 11 Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries (he/she who is sent) {not: a) the incorrect transliteration from the Aramaic dialect of Hebrew into the Greek ‘apostolo’; which is then b) translated to the English word ‘apostle’; which is then c) abused by those who assign to that misapplied English word ‘apostle’ a role rather than what Yeshua intended it to be – a persona}, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers. 12 Their task is to equip God’s people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah, 13 until we all arrive at the unity implied by trusting and knowing the Son of God, at full manhood, at the standard of maturity set by the Messiah’s perfection. 14 We will then no longer be infants tossed about by the waves and blown along by every wind of teaching, at the mercy of people clever in devising ways to deceive. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in every respect grow up into him who is the head, the Messiah. 16 Under his control, the whole body is being fitted and held together by the support of every joint, with each part working to fulfill its function {not by some elitist folks who self-proclaim a role that is ‘of man’ rather than ‘of Yeshua’ when Yeshua tells us that the whole body is being fitted together}; this is how the body grows and builds itself up in love……Ephesians 4:11-16 (CJB) Ask me about the Seven Mountains Mandate/ Seven Mountains Prophesy Question: “Where did this teaching come from? Is it biblical? Answer (from Ray Edwards – Seven Mountains advocate and promoter) “If you’re looking for it in the Bible, you won’t find the ‘Seven Mountains’. So in that sense, it is not in the Bible.” Ask me about Dr Lance Wallnau: Among other disturbing features of Dr Lance Wallnau: he openly endorses ‘New Age’ spirituality, in particular, elevating the spirituality of such new age icons as Oprah Winfrey to whose Facebook page he has inserted an Internet ‘meme’ (an activity, concept, catchphrase, or piece of media which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the Internet) on his own Facebook page, highlighting one of Oprah’s obsequious quotes: “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you Higher” to which Wallnau comments: “If you want to raise the dead, you need to put some people out of the room.” Wallnau also regularly associates his own teaching with that of false prophet: William Branham and with the discredited and so-called ‘Kansas City Prophet’: Bob Jones. Ask me about what God’s Word teaches: 3 “But if there is a man who teaches another doctrine and does not attain to the sound words of our Lord Yeshua The Messiah and the teaching of the reverence of God, 4 This one is lifted up as he knows nothing, but he is ineffective in disputes and debates of words, from which come envy, contention and blasphemy, and establishes evil thoughts, 5 And the misery of the children of men who corrupt their minds and are cheated of the truth, and they think that making money is the worship of God; but stay away from these things,..1 Timothy 6: 3-5 (ABPE) Ask me what the definition of a cult is compared to true Christ-centred doctrine: “A cult is a group of people who purport to be followers of Christ but who deny true basic doctrine as taught by Christ and recorded in valid transliterations/translations of His Word.”

If you live and wash feet you will have influence. You don’t need performance based ideology to ‘do’ something or ‘get’ something somewhere. If you live in the Kingdom and love you will influence. How? Because the Gospel works.